Sunday, July 13, 2014

The Dream Manager

How would you like a Dream Manager? Somebody you meet with once a month for an hour long session to discuss your personal dreams and strategies on how to obtain them.


I just finished reading The Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly. A book I would highly recommend. This book has been sitting on a shelf in my "unread books" bookcase for a few years now. I am a firm believer in the fact that you will read a book when the time is right to read it. It was the right time.

Even though this is technically a business book, there is so much material in here that you can apply to your personal life. Whether you are in the business world, a stay at home mom, or a retiree. We all have dreams or at least we all should have dreams. Dreams that motivate us to live our lives to their full potential. 

This is from the inside flap of the jacket cover...

The fictional company in this remarkable book
 is grappling with real problems of high turnover
 and low morale -- so the managers begin to investigate
 what really drives the employees. What they discover
 is that the key to motivation isn't necessarily the promise
 of a bigger paycheck or title, but rather the fulfillment 
of crucial personal dreams. They also learn that people
 at every level need to be offered specific kinds of help
 and encouragement--or our dreams will forever remain 
just dreams as we grow dissatisfied with our jobs and our lives.

So the fictional company, Admiral Janitorial Services, creates the position of Dream Manager. The manager's soul purpose is to meet with employees once a month for an hour and discuss their personal dreams and together come up with strategies on how to obtain those dreams. The dream manager helps employees that are committed to their dreams obtain their first house, their first two week vacation, or something as wonderful as their first "real" Christmas.

This book made me realize that we all need a dream manager, but we can also be a dream manger for someone; our spouse, our children, our best friend. All we need to do is encourage them to tell us a few of their dreams and most importantly, really listen to what they are saying. Talk through some ways to obtain these dreams, a lot of times they already know the answers, they just need to verbalize them. We must also be willing to share our dreams in return.

In our personal and professional lives,
we are constantly crossing paths with
people who have dreams that are fallow
or stagnant because nobody has 
encouraged them to clearly define those
dreams and pursue them.

So how do we get started? Find somebody that we are comfortable sharing our dreams with, a spouse,  a friend, a parent, or even an on-line friend, somebody that you know will truly listen. Schedule a meeting time once a month to discuss each other's dreams.

Next...

  • Start writing down your dreams, Mr. Kelly recommends a list of a hundred, using these twelve categories for guidelines:
  1. Physical
  2. Emotional
  3. Intellectual
  4. Spiritual
  5. Psychological
  6. Material
  7. Professional
  8. Financial
  9. Creative
  10. Adventure
  11. Legacy
  12. Character
  • Get yourself a Dream Book. A notebook/journal where you can write your down dreams or paste pictures of your dreams. Something visual and tangible that you can look at over and over again. 
  • Date your dreams as you add them to your Dream Book.
  • Date them again when you achieve them. 
In time, you will look back on your dreams you 
though were impossible when you wrote them down
 and be amazed at the ease with which they were 
finally accomplished...and you will marvel at
 how much you have advanced in the journey.

I am going to get out my journal that I have used for a few classes without much success at filling and fill that thing up all the way. 

What about you? What are some of your dreams? I would love to hear one.


10 comments:

Sandra said...

An interesting sounding book. I love the book cover! I really don't think that I have any dreams, however strange that may seem! I'm a believer in living the life that appears before me as things happen naturally, never knowing what is round the corner! Dreams seem to be all about sometime in the future and if I'm always thinking of this time which has not yet arrived, I forget to enjoy the things in my life today.

Karen Lakis said...

This sounds really interesting. And it's true - it isn't just a larger paycheck or better title that motivates me - although I do have coworkers where that's the case. What motivates me is a better work-life balance, and as my company seems to be moving away from that more and more each year, I've been planning my exit strategy little by little.

Unknown said...

I can tell a lot of thought went into this post Sarah. My dream right now is to get my youngest prepared for the world and hopefully be able to enjoy retirement soon. It's so close I can taste it.

Roxi H said...

This will be my next read. Thanks a million. Also I will make hubby read it. I don't think I will have to force him tho. One big dream is to have an pin one art exhibit.

Unknown said...

I would love to build my photography business more and my blog more - to stay home & work, especially making it more viable for me to do as an "early retirement" incentive. I just don't seem to have the time to sit down & build those dreams into reality........

Ahayes1225 said...

I am going to put that on my must read list... my dream is to travel more and supplement my income from my creativity... Thanks Sarah.

cheryl Crotty said...

I've already retired and I think I'm really living my dream...actually I'm living more than I could have thought of for myself...the book does sound interesting...and I'm adding it to my wish list..I guess if I had to choose I dream it would be to stay heathy enough to keep on traveling...
Very thoughtful post Sarah...

Viv@Thoughts from the Desktop said...

Very interesting I love the idea of having a dream friend and writing down your dreams.

Unknown said...

This sounds like a fabulous book! I also believe that books will come to you when the time is right for you to read them. I have books sitting on my shelves that I either did not get to or I started them but just didn't "fit' at the time. I put this on my wishlist.

Anonymous said...

I guess I've reached a point in my life where I don't believe much in dreams anymore. They are all right for other people, but it feels like it's too late for any I haven't achieved yet to become a reality in what's left of my lifetime. That sounds rather sad and pathetic, but I don't mean it that way. It just seems more important now to accept what is, to love it and make the most of it, than to pine for the impossible.